Almanac Poetry: Bruce Dawe’s ‘Figgy: A portrait’ (For Kaye Liset)

 

 

In November 2019, three old friends from our high school decided to have lunch, initially just with each other. Then they invited a few more from the 1979 senior class who still live in the Oakey and Toowoomba area and that led to a bigger lunch so they thought, why not give it a go, and tried to locate everyone from Grade 12 at Oakey High in 1979. About 15 of us came, plus a few partners and four former teachers. It was an excellent lunch and sitting around that night until the wee hours was a classic. We all went our separate ways but with the impetus to stay in touch and all very glad we made the trips from wherever. Social media has facilitated that.

 

Some unlikely coincidences emerged. Kaye Liset lives on the Sunshine Coast and she was talking about her friends she met at the local dog park, Bruce and Liz Dawe. I explained my love of Bruce’s poetry and that a number of his poems are always well read on the Almanac site. I also explained that, having met him a few times in Queensland, I had written to him to seek permission to quote ‘High Mark’ in full in The Doggies Almanac 2016.

 

Kaye was very close to Bruce and remains close to Liz. She sent me the recording of a reading Bruce did from his lounge chair. When Bruce died and Kaye and Liz were going through his papers and books, she found The Doggies Almanac and Play On on the shelves, and the letter I’d written to Bruce. She also found the poem he wrote me, by hand, for Christmas 2016 (which is below).

 

Kaye and Bruce and Liz got to know each other’s dogs very well too. Bruce wrote this poem for Kaye:

 

Figgy: A Portrait

 

For Kaye

 

I always think of him as ‘just a boy’
– He’s just as lovable and just as nimble,
If he does bark a bit, it’s not to annoy
And Suzie’s there to blame, so he’s a symbol
Of boyishness and youth: that happy tongue,
Those dark eyes asking you: ‘OK what’s next?’
That busy tail awag… He’s just so young
And loves to just relax too, any pretext
To check out our green lawns, but every time
His Mum (that’s you Kaye) calls for him
He’s ready to go home. But look, what rhyme
Can sum up such innocence? Seraphim
Sleep no more sweetly than your Figgie would
When, home at last he curls up by your bed!
Such blessed doggone doggyhood
requires a Shakespeare to be properly read!

 

Bruce Dawe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September Song

 

May more Septembers come to bring
More pennants to your team,
Until that too-long interval
Seems but a distant dream
– But then, as all true lovers know,
There’s nothing half as sweet,
When expectations are fulfilled,
There’s dancing in the street.

 

 

Read more about Bruce Dawe and the Footy Almanac HERE.

 

 

To return to the www.footyalmanac.com.au  home page click HERE

 

 

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